Slayers Shoujoai
by seeker71
Summary: This story kept bugging me as I was working on Silver Lord, so to clear it out of my head I went and wrote it down. A bit rough, but I think it works better that way... Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

It started simply enough, just another typical Lina Inverse super boring babysitting adventure. Amilia, of course. 

Well, to be fair, what really happened was that Amilia had put a long and intense session into helping her father run the country, and justice or not, she was tired, and wanted a vacation. Somewhere alone and quiet, like the private family hotsprings in the north of Seirune, along the Zefielian border. But, being a princess, going alone without a guard was totally out of the question. But that's just what Amilia wanted. And she was pouting about it because her father had put his foot down.

Then Lina and Gourry announced they were back in town in their usual way, specifically, Lina blew up some inn or other because she felt like it. Or Gourry had insulted her, or they short changed her, or something equally perilous. At any rate, now they were hauled in before Prince Phill himself to answer the charges. Wanton destruction, disturbing the peace, attempting to leave without paying for the damages, and being unjust in general. The final decision, after some serious wrangling with Amilia trying to get Lina to see that being whipped through the streets wasn't actually the better alternative, was that if Lina would be Amilia's guard on her jaunt to the hot springs, and Gourry would help with the rebuilding of the inn, then Prince Phill would pick up the tab and declare the offenders had been punished and were cleared of the charges.

Lina thought seriously for a minute of going to the next level of make work project, Dragon Slaving Seirune, but then thought the better of it, and, with a sigh, she agreed. So, with a major grumble she and Amilia had walked the distance alone, as Amilia had wanted all along. Finally they ended up in the hot springs and as Lina sank into the waters and relaxed she decided that if this was punishment, maybe she could deserve a bit more...

"So, Amilia, how long are you off for?" Lina asked, a big smile on her face as she soaked in the heat.

"Six weeks." was the reply.

"And you are going to soak here the whole time?" was Lina's next question.

"I don't know, Lina, today the answer is yes, but maybe after a couple of days of this I could be open to suggestion." Amilia replied. "Oh but this water feels heavenly..." she went on.

"Yeah, that's for sure!" replied a now happy Lina. "So, heard from Zel lately?"

Amilia shook her head and looked a little sad. "No, he comes and goes as he likes. I don't know, I keep hoping he's going to tell me he has feelings for me, and sometimes I think I see in his eyes that he does, but we never talk about it. I don't know what to do." she said.

"Why not start the conversation yourself?" asked Lina, cocking a curious eye at her friend.

"Well, I don't know." replied Amilia. "I have thought about it, of course, but, well, er, I'm shy..." She gave a little blush.

Lina laughed. "Shy? You? Just turn it into a justice speech!"

"Oh that's not fair, Lina!" said Amilia with a burst of passion. "Anyway, what's with you and Gourry? Do you two think the rest of us don't see you making moon eyes at each other? Yet I don't see any action going on. What's the deal with you? Surely the brave Lina Inverse has talked to Gourry by now?"

Now it was Lina's turn to be nervous and giggle. "Eh, well, come on Amilia, you know that's different..."

"No I don't!" said Amilia, with an "AaHa!" note to her voice. "How is it different Lina? Explain it to me."

Lina broke a sweat, not that you could tell as she was already sweating from the heat of the pool. "He, he, he, well, um, it's like this, Amilia... hoo boy... it takes time to explain things to a jellyfish, he, he, and well, I, I'm working on it..." she tittered.

Amilia cocked an eye of her own at Lina, and with the speed of a striking snake scooped up a large wave of water which she sent fying into Lina's face. As her redhaired companion screamed at the sudden soaking she had just received, Amilia struck a justice pose and, waving her finger in Lina's face, began to exclaim in a loud and strident voice "Lina Inverse! How dare you tell me to do something that you haven't the ability to do yourself!" Of course it would have helped if she wasn't smirking as she said it. "I, a pure and feminine princess of the Royal House of Seirune...!"

That was as far as she got when Lina interupted and yelled "Oh don't you give me that! I'm as pure and feminine as any of you! And I'm gonna prove it on your hide right now!" With that she jumped up and splashed Amilia back, then, as Amilia staggered back in her turn, Lina grabbed her intending to take her down and get her completely soaked. The two girls wrestled and yelled, and screamed and laughed, and threatened to lower the water level in the pond by several inches with all the splashing. Eventualy the laughter prevailed, as did Lina, who was on top of Amilia, holding her hands and arms straight out from her body.

Naturally, Amilia didn't take that lying down, well, actually, she did, at any rate, she continued to wiggle and struggle under Lina, but she didn't seem in too big a hurry to get away either. "Do you Yield?" asked a triumphant Lina.

"N- no, not yet..." replied Amilia with a giggle.

"Oh, well, when are you going to yeild then?" asked Lina as she struggled to keep Amilia still.

"When it stops feeling good!" replied Amilia. She followed almost immediately with a blush and the word "Oops..."

Lina stopped struggling, and grinning... "When what stops feeling good?" she asked suspiciously.

It was Amilia's turn to sweat as she replied, as innocently as she could "Uh, the physical exercise? I've been chained to a desk for weeks..."

"Don't you play innocent with me, Amilia!" retorted Lina. "When what stops feeling good?"

Amilia attempted to look sweet and clueless, but she couldn't resist a quick glance down. Lina followed, but couldn't see what was the big deal, as they struggled they were just rubbing breasts together...

A minute later it clicked and Lina lept up with a scream, trying to hide her "important bits" from Amilia's view, without much luck. Especially when she toppled backwards and splashed into the water... She sat there and just stared at Amilia.

Amilia dropped her eyes to one side and said in a shy and quiet voice "I'm sorry Lina, I have a little secret."

"Bloody hell you do!" said Lina in a shocked voice. "You? I never, ever would have guessed. So, is that why you say nothing to Zel? But why do you want him at all then?"

Amilia blushed deeply and said "Well, I am sorry to upset you Lina, although I am not sorry for what I am. It isn't a big secret or anything, but at the same time we don't make a big deal about it either. The truth is, almost every woman of the Seirune royal family is either lesbian or bisexual. I happen to be bisexual. Um, if it's any consolation, I didn't set out to put you in a compromising position or anything, I- well, it's just been so long since I, well, made love, that when we started, you know, it just felt so good and I forgot myself for a mnute. Please don't be angry Lina, I won't do it again..."

She smiled shyly at her friend. "Yeah, that's one reason I have been shy with Zel, I will tell him before we get too serious, but I want him to be serious enough to overlook it. I mean, it's okay if he says I can't do it with anyone but him once we are married, but I want him to forgive my past if that's the case. And I suppose I have my fantasies he will understand and let me have the odd girl-girl indiscretion on the side..."

She sighed and hung her head. "PLease forgive me Lina." she said, quietly.

Lina turned away. "You are forgiven, Amilia." she said in a strangely troubled voice.

Amilia slid a bit closer to her friend. She tenderly, and nervously, put a hand on Lina's shoulder. "I forgot, they take a dim view of this sort of thing in Zefielia don't they?" She was encouraged by the fact that Lina didn't shake her hand off of her shoulder. Still, when Lina turned to face her she had a strange look on her face.

"Yes, a very dim view." Lina looked down as she said that. "Amilia, I haven't told you this before, but the real truth is, is," She took a deep, deep breath and let it out. "The truth is, a lot of my family toubles with my sister are due to, to... Oh shit this is hard to say. Amilia, I- I- Oh just say it Lina! I'm like you!"

Amilia gave a little gasp of joy and embraced Lina. "Why didn't you ever say so? Oh the opportunities we have missed..."

"Amilia!" snapped Lina. "I, I am trying to, to stay pure now, for Gourry. I haven't told him, I don't know if I ever could either, but, but I don't want him to leave. It's going slowly and yet it's going, and I really do love him and want to marry him, and, I just want my other side to go to sleep. That's why I jumped so much when I realised what was going on. You see, I hadn't been doing it consciously, but when I realised what we were doing, I realised I also was enjoying it.

"I think you still are." murmured Amilia with a smile. As she spoke, Lina had, unconsously perhaps, turned and embraced Amilia.

Lina let go and looked miserable. Amilia asked "When was the last time you made love Lina?"

Lina gave Amilia a puzzled look and said "Well, I was fifteen, so, I'm um, ninteen now, four years. Why?"

"Just curious. And amazed actually. I really don't think I could go that long. And to think, I was pouting about a few weeks. Oh Lina, look, can I make it up to you with a backrub or something? Nothing funny, I promise!"

"That would be nice, actually." said Lina.

Amilia smiled and led Lina to a low table that was mounted in the hotspring for that very purpose. That way Lina could lie there nude and still enjoy the heat as Amilia used the healing water itself as the lubricant. Soon the Princess revealed another hidden talent as her skilled fingers worked the tension out of her friend's back and neck. Lina groaned appreciatively. "Now, I do wish I'd know about THIS talent of your earlier, Amilia. I think being a princess is wasted on you."

Amilia laughed and started rubbing down Lina's legs, moving the blood out and loosening the muscles. Finally she got to the feet and asked Lina to turn over. Lina gave her a curious look, but Amilia was obviously serious, so she rolled over. Amilia then proceeded to work on Lina's feet and after an initial tickelish bit Lina relaxed into it and had to admit that Amilia had learned at least some of the non magical healing arts quite well. She was floating as Amilia finally worked her her way up to Lina's belly, and then she worked on her chest, but in a way that, although she did rub the breasts, Lina knew it was to relax, not excite. A final bit of work down her arms to her hands, a gentle facial rub, almost a caress really, and an unexpected light kiss on the lips and Amilia giggled that she was done.

She sat down in the water again and Lina lay on the table. She was floating, and she didn't even have to cast a Levitation spell to do it. A few minutes later she began to return to earth, and she woke up a bit more. "Your turn." she said with a content sigh.

Amilia smiled and said she didn't mind if she did and soon the places were changed. Lina actually did a good job, but not as expert as Amilia's, althought the Princess did give her a few tips. Lina joked that she would have to use the next six weeks to practice. Still, she did a good job, and Amilia was very relaxed indeed.

Finally, she noticed it was getting dark and the girls almost reluctantly got out of the pool to go to bed. The arrangement was simple enough, Amilia and Lina would sleep in the same bed so that Lina would be close to her if something went on. Amilia had a vague memory of the last time she and Lina shared a bed and hoped they wouldn't be as restless this time.

She got her wish, sort of. She awoke in the middle of the night to find herself in Lina's arms. The fact they had gone to bed naked because they were too hot from the springs hadn't helped anything either. They had gotten chilly perhaps and were now snuggled together, and she couldn't do anything about it. And frankly, whe wasn't entirely sure she wanted to anyway.

Then, in her dream, Lina started moaning as if in pleasure, and calling on someone named "Nah-ga"? Amilia was puzzled at first, then realised Lina was having an erotic dream with another girl. She couldn't resist, the idea of doing it with Lina was too tempting. Taking her cue from the redhead's movements she was soon kissing Lina and stroking her body gently. As Lina's passion built in her sleep Amilia edged ever closer to the one part of Lina's body she hadn't massaged earlier. Finally she reached it! Her expert fingers began to work. Lina awoke with a gasp!

Amilia dug in a little harder and said softly "You were making love in your dream weren't you? Well, you were acting it out on me, my dear Lina, so, I decided to join in. I hope you aren't mad at me." Lina only moaned in response. Amilia held her closer, then, acting on impulse, she kissed Lina. Lina responded and soon they were in a hot, passionale embrace, tongues intertwined, hugging each other, as Lina surrendered and rode Amilia's fingers to infinity, and beyond...

When Lina came to again she saw a smiling Amilia stroking her body and murmuring how beautiful Lina was. "You really needed that Lina, I lost count, you were bucking so hard. I think you twisted my finger a little bit. But oh, you are so beautiful when you are, um, "in pleasure"..."

Lina looked down and replied, a bit sadly "So much for staying pure for Gourry. I don't know if I'll ever be able to lock this part of me away again. And I don't know how eager he will be to let me have, how did you put it earlier? Oh yeah, "indiscretions". But yeah, now it's happened, I admit that I needed that. And more. The dam has broken now Amilia, you will just have to ride the flood."

Amilia snuggled closer and smiled. "Gosh, six weeks of riding a flood named Lina, sounds like a challenge! He, he, we'll see if I'm up to it!"

Lina finally smiled back. "Well, here's your first test. I like giving as well as getting. On your back!" Amilia giggled and hastened to comply. Lina started with a kiss, then worked her way down Amilia's body, and finally proved that, however ordinary her back rubbing abilities were, she was decidedly an artist with the tongue rubs. And that after four years off...


	2. Chapter 2

Late the next morning, when the girls finally awoke they said nothing for a long time, they just smiled at each other. Finally Amilia said "You never cease to amaze me Lina, do you know that? All this time together and I never thought we had this in common. How's the tidal wave today?" 

Lina giggled and replied "Gathering strength again, of course, you aren't off the hook today, Amilia."

"Oh good." was the reply.

They got out of bed and devoured a simple, but ample, breakfast. They giggled over everything, and took a walk on the grounds afterwards, hand in hand.

It was a well maintained little park they were in, and normally there would have been people tending it, but they had been given an unexpected vacation so Amilia could have her alone time. Because they were alone, the girls decided to be daring and walk around naked, enjoying the sun, the view, and each other...

After they had found a likely spot, and had loved that morning, they were lying around lazily afterwards and talking of this and that. Amilia asked Lina "If it isn't private, will you tell me about the girl in your dreams? Something tells me you were remembering, not fantasizing."

"Eh? Girl in my dreams?" asked Lina, cocking an eye at Amilia.

"Yes, you were obviously making love to a girl during the night there, and you kept moaning a name that sounded like "Na-gii" or "Nah-ga" or something like that. I just was curious."

Lina was silent for a long time and Amilia was begining to think she had offended somehow with her question. Finally, Lina spoke. "Naga. Where do I begin?" Lina sat up and turned to Amilia, her face now a picture of sorrow. "That's the other reason I don't go fast with Gourry. I love him with all of that part of my heart that loves men, but the part that loves women passionately loves Naga, and passionately hates her too. I still have issues, I guess."

"I met her after I left home, at my big sister's, shall we say, "suggestion" that my future was "out there", in the world." She sighed. "Listen, Zefielia is a very conservative place when it comes to sex, and girls loving girls, in the erotic sense, is a big no no. It hasn't been used for atleast a generation or two, but there is still a law on the books allowing for the burning to death of people who do that. So, although it happens, like everywhere else, it isn't out in the open. But I guess I was"  
"Luna was always finding me doing things she thought were rather "lesbian" and correcting me for it, usually with her stick. I had to act and talk just so, or else. And I learned to jump through her hoops to avoid being hit. I don't know what her problem is, I think she is one of these zealots that hates people like us, Amilia, and when she saw her little sister headed "that way" she had to try and "fix me". The funny thing is, I have never ever doubted that what she did, she did in miguided love for me, but it was still cruelly wrong. I don't know, it was where she was wierd I guess."

Amilia shook her head. "Well, that makes me want to jump up and give a justice speech, but I'll restrain myself this time. But I do remember how afraid you were of her that time when Miss Filia gave you her letter. But I'm interupting, please, do go on."

Lina snickered at that. "Yeah, well, there I am at thirteen out walking the world, using my magic to make a living, and this bizzarely dressed nineteen year old chick shows up and sets my hotel on fire. She had heard I was the world's greatest sorcery genius, or something like that, and she was going to prove me wrong, no matter who she destroyed in the process, including me, or herself."

"Well, at first I tried to ditch her, she was wierd, strange, annoying, and a pain in the ass all rolled into one. Then came the night of the full moon. We were sitting in a field, on a warm summer's evening and we got to talking. At first it was just stuff, then this big, beautiful lovers moon rose before us as the sun was setting. We looked at it and sighed, and we started talking about love and stuff. Being free of Luna, I had resolved never to be ashamed of what I am, and in the due course, as the moon rose high and turned silver, I mentioned I liked girls."

Lina gave a tender smile as she remembered. "Well, that did it. She gave a happy squeal and leaned right over me and kissed me full on the lips, with a passion I didn't know was possible. But I didn't complain, I was thirteen and a half, I was alone and free in the world, and this woman, bizzare though she was personality wise, had a body to die for. Or drool for, as I had secretly been doing."

"Of course when she kissed me I was so happy that I gave as good as I got, and we spent the rest of the night something in the way you and I just did. Hell, you commented on my being able to have peak after peak of pleasure last night. That's normal enough for me, and it delighted her. She was something like that too, but even more imortant, she loved getting down there and going at me with her tongue, and all I had to do was ride her till she had had enough. It really made her happy. Well, and me too, of course."

"To make it better, when she had her turn, she loved to rub our, um, "womanhoods" together, so I was able to peak some more while she was peaking too, and that made her even happier. We'd lie there exhausted and happy, kissing up a storm. Of course I wanted to please her in other ways too, so she let me learn how to use my tongue, as I think you could tell..."

"Lina, if you are only a pupil, I'd love to have a go at the master. You are perfect!" smiled a happy Amilia.

Lina continued. "The problem was, when we made love she was so wonderful it was love, not just sex. But when we weren't making love she was hard to live with. She drank to excess, then she was always leaving me the bill. And she was greedy and grasping, especially about gold. Her personality was abrasive, there were times I actually slapped her, which I hated afterwards. And then she'd be extra nice in bed to make up for it, and I'd be sucked in again. And worst of all, she would often take the other side in any fight or magic business I was doing which made things more complicated than they needed to be. And don't get me going on her golems! Or the damned seafood spells! Sometimes things'd get so bad we'd have magic fights, and not for fun either, serious fights."

"Oh, and she always tormented me about my breasts. Now hers were hugh, and yummy, and sensitive, and fun to play with, and when we made love she did a good number on mine, and said she loved them. But when we were out and about she was making jokes and crude, hurtful remarks about how small they were, or how plain I was in general. It was like she couldn't understand how hurtful the remarks were. Or didn't care. Or maybe even that she wanted to hurt me. And yet, she could read my mind in a pinch and with little more than a wink or a nod we often could co-ordinate our actions and win a fight. It was weird. In some ways it was like there were two people in her, the lover, and the asshole. I loved the lover, I still do, but the other one was too much."

"The final straw was her attitude towards men. She hated them. She never explained why, it had something to do with her past, but she never told me about it, I really have no idea where she came from or who she was. Anyway, one day, after listening to her rant about men I confronted her and reminded her she had a father who was a man, and if she ever wanted babies she'd need one herself. And I reminded her I wasn't a lesbian like she was but had bisexual feelings too, which she knew already, and I told her that I thought that men were also loveable."

"Well, that did it, she took my words wrong, and screamed that I must have been seeing some man or other on the side. Ridiculous of course, she was with me too much for me to have been able to do that without her being there, but hey, I think she was, underneath it all, highly insecure. Anyway, I fought back, I was fifteen by now and a little more secure in my own person, and she was getting to be like Luna in her attempts to shape me and I wasn't doing that again. We lashed out at each other and used words on each other that we had never used before, this went all beyond our magic fights, and in the end we split up, and I've never seen her since."

Lina actually began to cry softly. Amilia gathered her into a big and comforting hug. After a minute Lina went on. "Then I went on a bandit stomping spree to work my frustrations out, and it helped. Then came Gourry, and I began to have feelings, and I realised that loving a man is different than loving a woman. I mean loving in your heart, Gourry and I have never been physical, well, there have been a few kisses..."

"I can't explain it, except that I lost interest in girls for awhile and tried to put that part of me to sleep. I wasn't, and am not now, ashamed of it, but I thought it was inappropriate if I wanted to be with Gourry. But four years is a long time, and I have been having stirrings the past year or so, and well, now this, and they are back as strong as ever. Still, I'm glad you were the one to waken them fully Amilia, we have our arguments and all that, but I really like you, heck I could even love you like the sister I should have had. And now that I get to love you like we have been, I'm going to have to find a different way to deal with my feelings."

Amilia smiled and said "I know exactly where you are coming from Lina. And loving someone who is special, and promises to be "the one" is different. I've never loved a man casually like I have with girls, so I don't know if that's different, but loving a special man, yep, that's different!"

Lina smiled. "Yeah, you have a point. And I'm glad I didn't go boy crazy, I am untouched as far as being with a man goes and I'd love to give myself to Gourry as a virgin. But I wonder how he'll react when he finds out about this. Hmph, knowing him he'll blame it on my flat chest or something." She pouted.

Amilia giggled. "You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" she asked.

"Figured what out?" asked Lina back.

"Well, maybe you've been too close or too sensitive." replied Amilia. "The fact is, I know he can seem crude or insensitive, but I think he just never learned any tact or manners, but, I think, and I confess I've had this conversation with Miss Filia when we were traveling together, and she concured, though she didn't quite see why it was important, anyway..."

"Get to the point Amilia..." said Lina a bit dangerously.

Amilia giggled nervously and said "Okay the point is we think he likes your small breasts and doesn't know how to tell you." She gulped, waiting for Lina's reaction.

Lina cocked a disbelieving eye and did a double take. "Well, I... never thought of that. You think?" she ended with a hopefull note in her voice.

"Woman's intuition?" winked Amilia.

"Maybe..." said Lina, still a bit doubtful.

Amilia laughed and said "Look Lina, big breasted girls like me and this Naga girl, oh, and Filia even, in her human form, are very common, but petite beauties are a rare and valuable commodity. Don't sell yourself short, okay?"

Lina winced good naturedly at the pun.

Amilia continued with a smile. "I mean, think about it a bit. You are shorter than a lot of women, so if Gourry wanted tall he has a whole world full of tall girls. If he wants big breasts they are out there too. And what else? How about hair colour, red is a lot rarer than, say, my black is, and blue eyes are everywhere, how many red eyed girls have you met? And that temper you are famous for. He doesn't turn tail and run like many men would, he knows you and he stays. Lina, he has to love you and everything about you, if not, if he wanted something else he'd have it. I mean, by the gods of love themselves, he had Miss Sylphiel throwing herself at him! Sylphiel! Beautiful, tall, demure, black haired, blue eyed, large breasted, great cooking even, wanting to be his loving wife, Sylphiel. And what does he do? Wanders around after you, showing more loyalty than the proverbial dog! Yes Lina, I think he loves all of you just as you are and that includes those beautiful little breasts of yours! And I am certain he will accept you for what you are too."

Lina shook her head. "I-, I didn't think of that, and I pride myself on seeing things others miss, and this is right in front of my face... Oh Amilia. When we get back I AM going to have a talk with him!"

She smiled at her friend. "But you have a talk with Zelgadiss too, you hear? I've seen that look in his eyes you mentioned yesterday too. Tell you the truth, I don't think he's being mysterious, I think he's being shy. I mean, think about it, he was a young man, then he became a chimera, now he thinks he's a hideous freak no woman could love. You have to let him know he's wrong, and if you can get that through his blue demon hide I think he'll hand you his heart on a silver platter, I really do."

Amilia's eyes shone. "Oh wow, you are right Lina! Oh, I have to go talk to him, but he won't be back yet." She sighed. "Well, we can console each other for the next six weeks and figure out what we want to say."

Lina smiled again. "Oh yes, and now that you woke me up, I'm not ready just this instant to go running away to have a man." She gave Amilia a sly, wanton look. "I have too much lost woman time to make up for. Besides, despite what you say, I am too demure around a man. I'm sure that, whatever I may be like with you, I'd be all over shy on my wedding night."

Amilia laughed and scooted over and hugged Lina. "Oh I can just see you now, Lina. You'll be kneeling on the bed, like we are now, you'll have your arms around him, and he around you, like this!" The girls knelt in front of each other, facing each other, and put their arms around each other.

Amilia then began to do a slow grind with her pelvis, rubbing her lower belly in to Lina's. "Gourry will see your petite beauty and your "demure" attitude. You will think he brought his hard, upright, steel sword to bed, then you will realise it is in fact him, the man of steel! You will see and feel his need for you and you will realise your need for him, and in your demure way you will respond!" She suddenly took on a more strident, Lina like tone. "Gourry! I need you NOW! GIMME,GIMME,GIMME!" As she shouted the final "GIMME!" Amilia shoved Lina onto her back and jumped on top of her in a way that suggested it was Lina mounting Gourry's manhood, and bounced away.

"WHATTHEHELLAREYOUIMPLYING!" shrieked Lina as she pushed Amilia off of her. She looked at the friend with an incredulous look then suddenly dissolved into laughter herself. After a good long laugh she said, a bit shakily "Amilia, you are projecting your fantasies about your own wedding night onto me, you know!"

Amilia laughed again. "No, no." she said. "That would be the man of stone, not steel! She laughed some more and said "After we are married, lets get together and compare notes, okay? The man of steel verses the man of stone!"

Lina giggled and then laughed. "That sounds gross Amilia! Sheesh. But I have a feeling it will happen, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha."

Amilia got onto her knees, wiping tears from her eyes with one hand and rubbing her sore sides with her other. Suddenly, she froze and toppled over in a new bout of laughter. Lina said, short of breath herself "Oh come on Amilia, it's funny, but not that funny..."

Amilia gasped "no... not it..." After a minute or two she got control back and got back on her knees. Then she crumpled forward again, giggling. Lina came up and knelt before her. She pulled Amilia upright and asked in a no nonsense voice "What?"

Amilia could hardly speak, but managed to get out, "I had a vision of you and Gourry, like we just did, but instead of you, it was Sylphiel..." She then began taking several deep breaths to calm herself.

"Huh?" said Lina, confused.

Amilia gave a smirk, then, positioning herself against Lina like she had done earlier, she got Lina to grind against her and, putting her hands together under her chin, the way Sylphiel often did, she gave Lina a demure, submissive look. Batting her big blue eyes in a most Sylphil like way at Lina she then said in reasonable parody of the gentle girl's soft voice "Gourry, I need you now. Give me, give, me, give me..."

Lina did a double take, then toppled over with Amilia, both girls laughing as hard as was humanly possible. A few minutes later she managed to say, weakly, "Poor Sylphiel! How unjust Amilia, even if it's true!" She then laughed some more.

Amilia staggered to her hands and knees and said "Gotta stop laughing, gonna be sick... Lina, distract me..."

"How?" panted Lina.

"Oh, um, I don't know... okay, describe that Naga girl to me, you told me her personality, but you said she had a beautiful body, tell me what she looked like?" Amilia asked.

"Sure." said Lina as she slowly sat up. "Give me a second to catch my breath." She did so.

"She is tall, almost as tall as Gourry. Her hair is as soft and as black as yours, but it runs like a midnight waterfall down her sleek and slender back to the top of her irresistably firm round and oh so kissable butt, and from that she had long, long legs running down to her perfect feet. You go round them, lingeringly, and back up those to her creamy thighs and of course her little patch of heaven on earth,and carry on up past her tight belly to her enormous, to die for breasts. He white shoulders look delicate, but are strong, and her long arms are as graceful as a swan's neck. And her talented hands, oh, no ring could do them justice, and they are so kissable... anyway, she has a slender neck and her face, thin and long, beautiful, but always with a proud sneer on her kissable lips and face. And her eyes, deep and blue, again just like yours, and so easy to get lost in, yet again with a proud and haughty look, beautiful and yet terrible to behold."

"Sounds stunning..." said Amilia quietly, now sitting down.

"She is." said Lina, a touch of saddness in her voice again. "If only she wasn't so damned wierd. Oh well, she wore the most ridicuous of clothes, I should have seen it coming."

"Clothes" asked Amilia.

"Yeah, her "evil sorceress" look, or so she called it. Walking eye sore I think is what most other would say. Okay, top to bottom. A gold tiara, just a circlet really, with a, hum, was it a pair of small wings or a small "V" on her forehead, just about where the so called "third eye" is, upon which is mounted a ruby. Then she has a thick collar around her neck, well, more of a leather choker, not a collar as such, and she had a little skull adornment hanging from it, just above her breasts. Then there is her, I hate to call it a bikini top, since it has sleeves, but same idea, it just barely covers her there, and leave nothing to the imagination. Closed at the bottom with another ruby. On each shoulder are spiked shoulder pads, and long glistening gloves from above her elbows to her fingers. Oh,all her clothes are black, by the way. Then nothing, well except her floor length cloak, till you get to her hips where she wears a thong. A fancy one, with the straps over the hips divided to make two straps. Then her hips and then from mid thigh, her long glistening boots. Oh, and a garter on her right thigh, and a belt with a ridiculously long sword hanging from it, silly really, she can swing it okay, but any blood, even a drop, and she faints."

"Faints?" gasped Amilia in a strange voice. Lina looked up.

"Amilia, what's wrong?" she asked, seeing the strange, wide eyed look on her friend's face.

Amilia gasped "There can be only one..."

"One what?" asked Lina

"Did this woman give you any name besides Naga?" asked Amilia in a strangled voice, something momentous obviously working its way across her face.

"Nope, just Naga. Naga the Serpent actually. Well, on occasion she said White Serpent..."

Amilia shrieked "White Serpent?"

"Amilia, what is going on?" asked Lina, feeling very disturbed now.

"One- last- question..." said Amilia, shaking visibly. Did she laugh like this?"

Amilia took a deep breath, then...

"OOOHOhohohohohohohoho!" she laughed.

Lina slapped her hands over her ears. "Stop it Amilia! That's her laugh! How do you know her?"

"How do I know her? How do I know her?" said Amilia in a wierd voice "How do I know Gracia ul Naga Seirune of the Royal house of Seirune, who's crest is the White Serpent? She's My Big SISTER!"

She screamed. As did Lina. Then they both collapsed, quivering, into each other's arms.

After awhile they calmed down and Amilia looked up at Lina. "I recognised her from your description, both of her and of that outfit." she said simply.

"She wore that thing in the palace?" asked Lina, unable to believe the stately court of Seirune would have permitted that. But of course, it was only yesterday she had found out it was a hidden hotbed of Sapphic intrigue, so who knew what was possible.

Amilia shook her head. "No, it was something my mother would wear to excite my father. I think she wore dancing shoes not boots, and no weapons or spikes, but the rest is the same. And it is missing, thought I don't think daddy knows. Anyway, it was something they did in private. He, he, but they forgot about the secret passages and the curiosity of peeking little children..."

"You see, daddy went on an adventure as a young man and came back married to mother, which shocked the court. But Gracia was already in her belly, so there was nothing to do. Mommy was some sort of a gypsy princess I think. Anyway, daddy used to be really good at playing musical instruments, just as long as he didn't sing, and mom would wear that costume and dance for him sometimes when they were alone. And oh yes, it was an erotic dance. And they both seemed to get very aroused by it." She sighed. "He hasn't played a note since she was murdered."

"Murdered?" asked Lina. "I thought she died naturally."

Amilia explained. "No, an assasin named Booley tried to kill Gracia when she was sixteen and mother got in the way. But it cost her her life, and there was blood everywhere. Then Gracia used a white magic spell to kill the murderer, in defence. Ever since then, she'd faint at the sight of blood."

"And she was proud to a fault before the murder, after that she became very afraid and insecure, but she would keep up a false front of pride and what she called "worldly superiority" as a shell. Still, she had her kind side, but I think it is gone now, if what you describe is true. Oh Lina. She went from being a goof to a wierdo, in the bad sense. She openly violated daddy's ban on black magic because she wanted more power to defend herself, she said. But her idea of defence was destroying her enemy, not stopping his attack long enough to get away. So, it was to be black, not white, magic for her."

"Men I don't know about. I know she was involved with girls like I am, but I know mommy was grooming her to take on her duities as a queen, including her duities to the succession, and I think Gracia dreamed of a special man, like you and I do. But then a man killed her mother, almost killed her, and covered her hands with his blood, even if it was self defence. And another man, daddy, didn't defend mommy, nor did he comfort her afterwards. Please understand that daddy did try his best despite his own grief, but it just didn't take on Gracy, she was too deep into her own upset heart to let anyone get through. Not even her little sister who- who..." Amilia started to cry. Lina immediately hugged her as Amilia finished her thought.

"Who loves her."

The two girls were lost in tears for a long time, each mourning the loss of the woman they loved, albeit in different ways.

Finally Lina said "Now I undertand her much better. Oh, if only she had said something earlier. but she couldn't, I guess. But this give sme a real problem now Amilia. I can't go to Gourry until I resolve Naga. Oh gods what to do? I've lost all contact with her, just like with Luna." She cried some more.

After a while, the tears stopped again, as tears eventually will do. The two girls made their way to the hot spring and sank into the soothing and healing hot waters. Still they physically clung to each other, sharing a common sense of loss. Finally Lina kissed Amilia and whispered to her "Love me?"

Amilia turned with a smile and said "You know Lina, now I know who you've been with, I feel rather incestuous loving you."

Lina backed away. "Yes, it would. I'm sorry."

Amilia pulled her back, a gleam in her eyes. "No silly, it's a turn on!" With that, before Lina could say anything more, she kissed Lina needily and passionately. Lina returned with the same feelings.

They weren't as urgent with each other this time as they had been before, rather, they spent the rest of the day playing each other like a true maestro plays a rare and superb instrument, taking each other to new peaks of pleasure and into greater depths of intensity than they had ever been.


	3. Chapter 3

Amilia startled Lina awake by popping up in the middle of the night with a shout. Lina woke up next to her with a shout too, then, after remembering why it was dark cast the spell "Lightning" and there was a little ball of light in her hand illuminating the room. 

Odd, there were no bandits breaking in...

She looked at Amilia who gave her head a shake then reached for a candle and lit it. With that, Lina let the spell dissolve and asked "So we aren't under attack then?"

Amilia shook her head and replied "No, I just remembered!"

After a few seconds Lina asked "Yes?"

"Oh, sorry. Okay, um well, we've been really busy with negotiations with Elemikia lately so when a letter arrived from Gracia a few weeks ago I didn't get to see it, and I had forgotten it arrived. See, she does occasionally write home, giving us spotty updates and usually asking for money. Not often, once or twice a year, if we are lucky."

Lina gave a little gasp. "How is she?"

Amilia replied "Fine as far as I can tell, I just remembered daddy gave me a few highlights. She'd been cocking a snook at Martina of all people over there in Zoana it seems, and now she was wandering through to Elemikia and wanted money. The point is, she named a drop off spot in Zefielia! I can't remember where, near the city somewhere. Lina, she'll only be getting there now! We can do this! The border is a whole quarter of a mile north of here, and we can get to your home town in a few days! And with no servants around to know we've gone, we could sneak over and back without anyone knowing! Oh Lina! Let's! Let's do it! I haven't seen her since she left, and I don't know why she's hiding but, I want to, no, I need to see her again, and so do you!"

Lina did a big double and even triple take. "You're kidding right? Or you are still asleep! That's it."

No, I'm not Lina." said Amilia with a bit of a frown. "I've got this one chance to go see her and it may never come again for years, if at all, I'm going. If you want to stop me I suppose you can, but I think I'll hate you for the rest of my life. And after having such a blessed time with you I'd be crushed. Look, if it's Luna you fear we'll do our best to stay out of her way, at any rate, with me around she might not do so much to you, and you are an adult now, maybe you'll get along better. Just don't mention girl love in front of her, tell her about Gourry, and she might be happy."

"Stop you? Luna? I was worried about me meeting Naga again..." said Lina, a bit confused. She thought a minute. "Yeah, you are right, I need to see her and so should you, so if this is our only chance we better go for it. But, gee, sneaking the heir apparent to Seirune across the border, what if something happens?"

"Er, well, we'll go as two ordinary girls okay? Don't wear your sorceress costume, and we'll wear some durable travel wear and go from there. Heck let's see, we can be, what works in Zefielia? Two friends traveling to see the country?"

Lina thought. "Well, I have an aunt in the north of the country, we could be two cousins traveling to visit family. Yeah, that'd work. Okay, we need to disguise ourselves a bit..."

"OH! Wait, I know... ha, ha, my big sister La La is getting married in the north! And I was working on your farm, Lu Lu, just the other side of the boarder in Zefielia, so, we don't even need much of a story for your accent which is a bit non Zefielian. And we are friends, and your folks said you could go with me as my guest to the wedding! There, now we have the same story, and with a bit of plain clothes and wearing our hair different, we might just do it! Only, just don't forget everything the instant you see Naga, er, Gracia and glomb onto her in public or something, okay?"

"Hey, you worry too much, Li Li!" chuckled Amilia. She then laughed out loud and fell back on the bed. "Mr. Gourry's going to be so mad if this gets out!" she said.

Lina laughed and said "Well, let's get back to sleep, we'll get ready and set out in the morning."

Amilia gave a little content sigh. "Lina?" she asked.

"What?" was the reply.

"Will you kiss me goodnight, Lina?" Amilia asked.

There was a quick movement and Lina's face was in front of hers. "Are you really that insatiable, Amilia?" Lina asked.

"Yes!" said Amilia with a needing look on her face.

"Good!" said Lina gleefully as she kissed Amilia deeply and erotically.

It was awhile before the girls actually got back to sleep.

------------------------

As a result , morning came just in time for lunch, so they did that as breakfast and got dressed quickly. They knew that if they didn't they'd not get away that day at all. So, it was just passed noon when they set out. In less than half an hour they were over the border and into Lina country, as Amilia kept calling it, despite Lina's protests and threats.

They trudged north on the road, occasionally passing people such as farmers in carts or leading livestock. There was a postal courrier once, and someone just riding for pleasure too, but no one bothered the girls or seemed to take unusual notice of them, unless having several friendly strangers wish you a good afternoon constituted some bizzare form of Zefielian harassment...

Anyway, they put a good amount of miles on that day and had hunkered down for the evening in a little inn. All in all it had been a good day, they had rented a room with one big bed, to make it look like they were being frugal with their money.

And the cover story was perfect too, not that many people asked, and those that did, even the nosey inn keeper, were just making conversation. Amilia was welcomed with a warm smile to Zefielia, being as she was aknowledged to be a Seirunian, and she turned on the charm and gushed about how Zefielia was so nice. Lina was afraid she might have to kick her at some point, but Amilia did remember to restrain herself a bit, and in the end it was pulled off nicely.

After a good meal they settled to bed, asking for an early wake up call. Lina promptly threw herself on the floor to Amilia's amazement and disapointment. But Lina explained "We can't take the chance we might say or do something in our sleep, Lu Lu. If we were overheard someone might be suspicious. Yeah, most likely they'd do nothing, but some prude might say something to the local Shirrif, and then we'd have to answer harder questions. And tempting as it is, if we fight them, you can kiss meeting Naga goodby. To be honest, I think our best bet is to try and sneak up on her."

Amilia nodded. "You are probably right, but, oh, this will be so hard."

"Well, it was your idea." said Lina with a smile that suggested she too would love to lie next to her friend.

Amilia, after losing the ensuing argument about who should take the floor, made Lina take some of the quilts that were in a closet and use them as padding. They then settled down and drifted off to sleep.

The wake up call came soon enough, maybe even too soon, but it had to be. Up, dressed, a stolen kiss, and then to breakfast, and the open road again. "So, we'll be in Zefielia city later this afternoon." said Lina. "Where was the drop off point?"

"In a woodland somewhere." Amilia answered.

"Oh, okay." said Lina. As I remember, there is only one woods, to the north of town, almost more like a park really. Should be no problem finding it then. I just hope she'll be there. Or we will wait for all those weeks for nothing."

"If you like, we could go see Luna..." said Amilia a little tentatively.

"Well, not today, but we'll see..." said Lina quietly.

They walked on the rest of the day and as suppertime hit with a vengence they entered the outskirts of the city. They found a likely place to eat and settled down to a nice supper. They planned to spend the night out in the woods, just in case. It was about half way through the meal one of the regulars called to a waitress "Hey, where's Luna tonight? I haven't seen her all day?"

Lina just about jumped out of her seat. Amilia shushed her as discretely as she could. "Don't blow your cover..."

Lina got a grip but still waited with baited breath for the answer. Fortunately, the girl called back "She's been on assignment. Won't be back till later I'm afraid. No, I don't know what the assignment is. Anyway, you saying that we aren't good enough for you?" There were general guffaws and some teasing and loud laughter, and things returned to normal. More or less.

Amilia couldn't resist asking the waitress if this was the restaurant where the famous "Knight of Ceified" worked. Lina wished she could kick her under the table, but, in the end they seemed to get away with it as the girl was eager enough to babble on about Luna and her exploits.

But the tables turned a bit when the waitress explained that her last exploit had been to backhand an unruly customer in the face for trying to get free drinks with a hideous laugh that almost cleared the tavern. Both girls started at that. A few questions and the waitress voulnteered all too willingly that it had been a tall, dark haired woman in a bizzar and revealing costume. But the kicker was that Luna had forgotten about the ring she wore since her father had died two years ago, and here Lina almost lost it, but managed to just barely hang tight. Anyway, the upshot was that the woman had been cut by the ring, and Luna was feeling really bad, especially as the woman had fainted, apparently at the site of blood.

Needless to say, after a doctor had said she wasn't hurt, she had been escorted without ceremony out of the building, and left to revive on her own. A while later and she was gone.

Finally, the waitress left on her duties too, and Lina and Amilia just stared at each other. They ate quickly and said nothing, paid, and left for the woods.They were out of town and on their way before Lina could no longer hold it in. She suddenly doubled over, tears of grief streaming down her face. "Daddy.." she sobbed.

Amilia took her into a big hug and lead her off the road. There she cuddled her distraught friend and tried to comfort her. Lina cried a long time, then finally said. "First Naga, there is no doubt she is here now. Then I have to see Luna, and mommy..."


	4. Chapter 4

A while later the girls were wandering the woods. It was a large enough patch of trees, but they knew they could comb it in a few hours. They kept moving, and kept silent, looking for a campfire, or anything that might give away the presence of someone waiting for someone else to arrive. Then, in the distance, a glint of light! 

They approached cautiously, not making a sound, even feeling their way for sticks at times. They had agreed that they would try to spy out the lay of the land before they moved. It was also decided, after a bit of debate, to let Lina go forth first, figuring Gracia was less likely to get spooked by her alone. Lina didn't tell Amilia, but she also prepared a small spell to throw at Naga if she did run. Finally, they were at the camp.

They could see no one, but that could mean anything, maybe the camper was getting wood or something. Giving a signal, Lina stood up and quietly and slowly walked out into the clearing. She paused by the fire, not quite sure where to go next. There really wasn't much except a half cooked something or other by the fire. Who ever it was had hidden their gear or traveled very light. Like Naga did.

A voice spoke, catching Lina by surprise, but the bigger shock to her system was the cascade of emotions that poured over her at the familiar sound of that voice, even after all these years. "OOOHohohohohoho! Travelers who would sneak up on a great sorceress need to be more careful than you! Naga the Serpent doesn't let just anyone join her fire at a whim!" Naga had felt them coming, and had hidden in the woods.

Lina smiled softly. Naga had been fooled by the fact Lina wasn't wearing her usual outfit, as she and Amilia had hoped. She said softly, and even tenderly "What about old friends who need to see you again, Naga?"

There was a silence, then a much changed and softer voice spoke from the dark. "Lina? Can it really be you?" Naga came forth out of the shadows. She looked, well, like Naga, a bit older perhaps. The years had not been unkind, but the stress of her life was apparent. Her costume was neatly, but obviously repaired. Most of it was wear, but a couple of places looked as if they had stories behind them. She also seemed a bit more haggard, probably the bottle was taking it's toll...

The real shock was the rather fresh and vivid, though thankfully minor, gash along her cheek. Their guess had been right as to whom it was that Luna had slapped.

Naga came forward, and Lina gasped to see her, then said what she needed to say the most to Naga. "I love you!" In a flash she crossed the distance and hugged her friend, her tears falling like the rain. Naga gulped, tried to speak, then gave up and, hugging Lina back, lowered her cheek to the top of Lina's head and wept as well.

After a time the tears cleansed the emotions and the girls could speak again. "I-I've missed you so much, Naga..." sobbed out Lina.

"At least as much as I've missed you, I'm sure..." said Naga, as she hugged and rocked Lina. "What brought you to these woods? I'm glad you are here, it is a happy chance."

"No chance, I was looking for you, Naga. I have to talk to you, I am at a turning point in my life." replied Lina.

Naga smiled and indicated for Lina to sit down. "So, it wasn't for me that you came back then..." she sighed.

"Yes it was. Please let me explain." said Lina. "I'm sorry for coming straight to the point after just meeting you again, but I have to. You should know I love you Naga, not past tense, but for real, right now, as much as I have ever. But we couldn't get along outside of bed, though the gods know you made up for a lot of your craziness when we were in it."

She gulped. Naga just sat there, head down, waiting. "You also know I, I have a feeling for men too..."

Naga sighed. "So, you are in love with me, and in love with a man, and now you want to have me let you go. You are free, Lina, but I wish you hadn't returned to tell me this, it hurts so much. I still love you too..."

Lina shook her head. "No, it's, uh, my choice, but I haven't finally decided yet, to either go on with him, or come back to you. There is no way, much as I might wish it, that I can have you both, I don't think either of you would share..." She tried to chuckle at the joke.

Naga looked at her a long, long time. A sad smile came to her. "Well, I can say I have grown up a bit since you saw me last Lina, at least I have come to realise that not all men are hateful. And I apologise for putting you down all the time, I don't know why, I just had to get your goat it seems. I was at a time in my life when I went to extremes with everything. Now I just do it with most things. I don't know how to explain it. I think I was jealous of your magical powers, you always have been just a little bit better than me, but back then I could never, ever, admit it. So, I was stupid and acted like it. I've missed you so much... But you also have this man to settle with, yes?"

"Yes, but I haven't told him I love him, not yet. I want this to be settled between us first, that way if the answer for him is "No!" then he won't be as hurt, I hope."

She took a deep breath and wiped her sweaty palms off. "Listen, there is someone else here I have to talk to as well, before this matter is settled, and I don't know how you are going to feel about me talking to her, but since I found out about her, I see things in a different light."

Naga gave Lina a curious look and said "I thought my only rival was a man? Who do you mean Lina? Who else has a say in this besides you and me?"

Lina looked Naga in the eyes, tears brimming in hers, and took a deep breath. She said only one word, a name. "Gracia".

With a hiss worthy of her "Serpent" title Naga lept to her feet and stared at Lina like a rabbit about to bolt. She was speechless.

Lina went on. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, about your mother..." Suddenly she slammed her hand on the ground in obvious hurt and frustration. "Why, Naga! Why didn't you just tell me? I would have understood so much better, I really would have! All this pain you carry, why?"

Naga gave a low moan that rapidly built to a scream. She staggered back from Lina. "Stay away from me, Inverse, stay away! Who told you? WHO TOLD YOU!" she shrieked.

Lina, tears dropping from her eyes replied "Someone who loves you very much, and who wants you back. Possibly even more than I do."

Naga's face contorted with fear, and rage. "Why did you come here?" she hissed. "You want revenge? You want to be free of me and want to hook me up with someone else to do it? Is that it? You, you Bitch! No, no I'm not going back to some other woman. Okay, Inverse, you had your fun! You got me going, and you dashed my hopes! Big time! I've never been able to really love anyone since you left, it will be doubly so now! You can be happy! HAPPY! Thank you for ruining what was left of my heart! I HATE YOU! GO AWAY! And tell that gutter trash who thinks she loves me that Naga the White Serpent loves no one, wants no one, and needs no one! You just tell her that!"

Naga paused her tirade to get her breath. Lina used the gap to softly interject "Turn around and tell her yourself, Naga. Look her in the eyes and let her know beyond all doubt how you feel. She's right behind you, I didn't come alone..."

Naga was staggered, and her face, which was red with anger, drained white with fear. "You were going to set me up!" Her face set with anger again, a cold, white, possibly murderous anger that made Lina cring as if threatened with a blow. Naga turned to face whoever was behind her. "You little tramp, You listen here..."

She turned. And looked straight into the big, innocent blue eyes of Amilia. "I love you Gracia" she whispered.

Something broke inside Naga, something that probably needed to break a long time ago. "No..." she said softly. "I never meant, I never imagined... not you, oh gods, I never realised she ment my sister..." Defeated, she sank to her knees, then slowly lowered her head to the ground at Amilia's feet, and began to weep, great racking sobs that spoke of her true feelings, the feelings, not of Naga, but of Gracia deep with in. The lonliness poured out, as did the fear, the distrust, the haterd, both of others, and of herself.

Amilia was on her knees and sobbing too. She managed to get Naga up enough that she could hug her as they wept. Lina was crying too, but couldn't tell if it was from joy, sorrow, or both. She just realised it felt good to cry at this moment. For a long, long time all was weeping.

After that time the tears slowed, as tears do, and Amilia repeated "I love you..." to Naga.

"Me too, I love you too.." coughed Naga through her tears.

"Why didn't you come back Gracia? I've needed you so badly all these years. Daddy too, even if you can't believe it. He needs you. Why?" Amilia sniffled out in her turn.

"Fear, plain and simple fear." said Naga, having trouble meeting her sister's eyes. "Fear of the memories, fear of the pain, fear of the shame of the way I acted, fear of the fear itself. I am afraid Ami. I was going to go get strong so I could defend myself, and somehow, walking around like this I've been able to fool myself that I am strong, but I am afraid and weak when I think about home. I want to go home, and I am too afraid, too afraid..."

"But that's why I'm here." said Amilia softly. "I will help you with your fear! We can do it together Gracia, we are sisters. And sisters acting together can do anything! Right Lina? Lina?"

Lina shook her head. "I don't get along with my sister, you know that. I can't help you there. And I have to go home too. I am afraid, and that has kept me away for years, and now I just found out my daddy died years ago, and I wasn't there. Now I have guilt, as well as fear. Go home Naga while all you have is fear, it's easier to just deal with one thing."

Naga looked over with shock. "Your daddy is dead?" she whispered. "Oh Lina, you do have my sympathy, and now I have a new fear. I fear I won't overcome my other fears in time."

"We will help!" volunteered Amilia. 'Lina and I are staying at the family hotsprings right now, and, because I wanted to be alone, all the servants and guards were sent away for six weeks because I have Lina here to guard me. We got, um, talking, um, and Lina had a dream where she made love to you and I asked her about it and she described you and, well, I knew it was you. Then I remembered your latest letter about coming to Zefielia, and so, we came to find you. And we are really only on the end of the first week! Come back Gracia, and you can have a good long month to build up your courage to come home!"

Naga cocked an eye at Amilia. "And how do you know what Lina dreams of?" she asked.

Amilia blushed. "Err, well, the plan was for her to sleep in the same bed with me in case of trouble, so she'd be close at hand..." she replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Why do you blush?" Naga asked, leaning over to look Amilia in the eyes.

Amilia's blush deepened. "well, err, oh dear, well, okay. You maybe don't know this, but I am as bisexual as Lina is, and having a beautiful young girl in bed next to me making love in her dreams was too much to resist, I gave her a helping hand from the physical world. She woke up, too far gone to stop, and, well, after that there was no reason not to and we did it all day long the next day. Then I remembered the letter and we came to find you, and we did, and I am so happy!" She beamed a big smile at Naga.

She went on. "Now I'd like us to go home again together as far as the hotsprings. I had fun with Lina, but neither of us knew about you, Lina thought you were Naga from the past, and I didn't know it was you until she told me about her dream girl. So, I am very happy to step aside and let you two renew your fun..."

Lina had, by this time, folded up into a little ball, Amilia could be naive at times...

Naga set her straight, gently. "If Lina ever touches me like that again it will have to be for life." she said. "I can't get that close and lose her twice. And you are yummy, but you are my sister, and I don't think I could go that far. And a month isn't long enough to get over my fears, not without help..." she ended, whistfully.

"Oh..." said Amilia, feeling deflated. "Well, I won't drag you home, even though I want to." she said a bit teary. "But can't you come and spend the month alone with us? Lina won't see her man before then, and you can talk it all out, I'm sure, and we can talk, and who knows how you'll feel, and you can go in what ever direction you want when the time comes, if you won't come home with us."

Naga smiled. "I can do that much if it is just us three." she said. "After the messenger comes with the gold, it should be tonight or tommorrow night, okay?" Amilia nodded, as did Lina.

"Well, what about supper, or something." said Naga, turning her head to look for the food she had been cooking.

"Oh!" said Amilia. "Your cheek..."

"Yeah, THAT!" snarled Naga in reply. "It'll heal, I've applied what magic I have to it, but she didn't need to scratch me." she spat out.

Amilia said "I know some more magic I can add. Really Gracia, you are forgetting your white magic aren't you? Please don't do that, it can do things black magic cannot do. Like this." Amilia touched the wound and it healed into a small, almost invisible scar that you really had to look to see.

"Thank you!" said an amazed Gracia. Then the fire returned to her eyes and she shouted "But I still want revenge! No purple haired waitress will get the better of Naga the Serpent! How dare she scratch me!"

"Calm down Naga please!" said Lina quietly, with worry in her voice.

"Yes, come on big sister, I'm sure it was an accident..." added Amilia.

"Ha! Are you in league with her? I tell you I want revenge for this injustice! REVENGE! And you two are going to help!" shouted Naga.

"How do you want us to start?" moaned Amilia, uncertain of what to do.

"Well, you could shut her up..."


	5. Chapter 5

All three girls jumped. The voice had spoken from the edge of the clearing! Looking around Naga could see a tall woman with a very large basket of, of...mushrooms? She wasstanding at the edge, directly behind Lina. Obviously the woman had been gathering the fresh mushrooms all day, presumably to take back to town. Naga growled in recognition. 

Amilia said, in a quavery voice "Wh-what do you mean?"

The woman came forward. "I mean that planning revenge at the top of your voice is not considered a good idea, especially as you never know who can hear!" The woman flipped her hood back and was revealed as a young woman, though closer to Naga in age than Lina or Amilia were. She had long purple hair, with thick bangs hiding her eyes in front. She set her basket down and put her hands on her hips.

"Look, I really am sorry about the cut, I did apologise once, but you had fainted so maybe you didn't hear me, so I offer it again. I am sorry I cut your cheek, it was an accident, please forgive me. But if you hadn't been laughing so much I never would have had to silence you in the first place. So, will you accept my apology? Or do we carry this thing out to some silly and needlessly violent conclusion?"

Naga seemed undecided but perhaps inclined to try her luck. Lina ended it by interviening. "If you fight anyone, Luna, fight me." she said softly, turning around to face the newcomer.

Luna gasped. "Lina? I-I didn't recognise your voice!" She hesitated a few seconds, her breath rapid. Lina stood up and looked at Luna and said "Please don't beat the one woman I love as much as you..."

Luna didn't seem to hear, she just closed the distance and grabbed her little sister into a strong hug, lifting Lina from the ground as she swung her around and buried her face in Lina's shoulder. The two sisters cried from the emotions of the meeting.

Naga gave a startled look to Amilia. "They're sisters?" she queried.

Amilia just nodded, looking at the two Inverse sisters.

Lina gave a muffled "Please Luna, don't be mad. Please forgive me. I never wanted to make you mad all those years ago, I was just a little kid."

Luna sobbed out "I- I'm the one who should be sorry Lina, I didn't treat you well did I? I think I've learned better now. Oh Lina, I've been so lonely."

Lina looked at her sister, her tears still streaming down her face. "I just heard about dad. I didn't know, Luna, I didn't know. I thought you guys were all well, I'd have come home sooner. You should have sent Filia or Milgassa or someone. How's mom holding up?"

If anything, the question made Luna cry harder again. In a minute the awful truth came out. "M-Mom, was never the same after dad died Lina. She used to smile all the time, but after he died she never smiled again. Then last summer the plague swept through this part of Zefielia and we all got sick. I was close to death at one point, and she nursed me back to health, but after I was on the mend she was sick, and, and, well, I don't think she wanted to get well all that much. I was still in my sick bed when they said she, she, slipped away quietly in the night, whispering dad's name..."

Lina had been grieving before, but the double news was almost too much. She gave a shriek that seemed to rend the very air and collapsed into Luna's arms wailing "NO,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no! It was a long time before she said anything else.

The others grieved too, Luna with her memories, and the sisters Seirune in genuine sympathy for their friend's double loss. Of course there were hugs all around, even Naga and Luna no longer seemed to care about the recent past.

Finally the tears dried enough to allow speech again. "I feel so bad." said Lina finally. "I should have been here. I am sorry for everything Luna, even for the fact that I love women as much as men. If only I hadn't been so different from you, maybe I'd have been home where I belong..."

Luna gave Lina a look of pain and whispered "Not different, Lina, the same..." then she started to weep, more quietly than she had for her parents, but somehow, much more deeply.

Lina looked startled. "Wh-what do you mean Luna? What do you mean? Luna?" she said, her voice shaking with uncertainty.

Naga got it. "She's a lesbian, Lina..." she said quietly.

Luna nodded through her emotions.

Lina was stunned. She grabed her sister and shook her shoulders. "Why Luna? Why were you so against me being one when I was little?" she insisted.

Amilia took Lina into a hug, while Naga did the same for Luna. "Give her a minute, Lina, love, I'm sure she'll explain." she said.

And finally Luna did. "T-Tami, her n-name was Tami." She paused for a minute. "When I reached puberty my being a Knight of Ceiphied was revealed. And there was much rejoicing. I was put in the best swordfighting school in Zephielia, and I, and our family, was heaped with honours, even from the Eternal Queen. But what I could never tell was that I also grew up very fast under Ceiphieds influence, and knew, even at twelve years of age, where my heart lay. I love women."

"Tami was fifteen, and a student for several years at the academy, where she was the top pupil. She was appointed to be my mentor, an honour I suppose. We did everything together, even spending time alone together. I wanted her, and somehow, I could tell she was like me, so, it took a bit, but finally, I won through, and we became lovers. It was beautiful, so beautiful. Until we got careless and were caught."

"You know it is not accepted in Zefielia to be in love with a memeber of your own sex. If we had been ordinary maybe we could have run away together, but I was cursed with being special." She screamed suddenly "I don't want to be special!" then cried some more.

Finally she went on. "Someone must have seen us and raised the town, for we were alone one day, then, then, it was all so fast, there was this mob... Tami must have known what was happening. She didn't try to run. The first thing she did was tell me that, no matter what happened, I wan't to use the power of Ceiphied in this, it wasn't what it was for. She made me promise, knowing I couldn't ever break such a promise to her. Then she told me to be silent. Finally, she confronted the mob and confessed, wrongly, that it was her fault the innocent child, me, had been lead astray. They thought I had been abused, and spared me, even pitying me. But Tami got the brunt of their anger."

"Some wanted to invoke the old law and burn her, but others argued that would need a trial, and they were too mad to wait. Finally they settled on hanging her, and not the quick way either, it was a strangulation hanging! They-they made me watch, thinking I'd be relieved to see my abuser punished, but every night, since then, I see her face in my dreams, her beautiful face when she said she loved me, and her face in agony as she struggled to breath. I finally learned not to scream in my sleep, but, my dreams are still haunted. You might not remember Lina, you were very young and they hushed up afterwords, lest the palace get wind there was mob violence and send soldiers to investigate."

Luna took a deep breath. "Th-then came the shadow projection thing. I was terrified the old hatred would flare up again, so I reacted badly and I beat you. After that, when I saw you liked girls, oh gods... my dreams changed Lina! It wasn't Tami they were hanging anymore. Lina! It was you! I wanted to save you, so I reacted, badly I now know, by trying to beat it out of you! No, they couldn't! Not my baby sister! They weren't going to kill her!" Luna was panting now, distraught and clinging to Naga for dear life. To her credit, the White Serpent upheld Lina's sister and soothed her as she spoke of her private horrors.

For her part Lina trembled with fear as Amilia held her. "I get it all now Luna!" she said, her voice trembling. "I get it! Oh gods, all this time, I've been afraid of you, I should have been afraid for you! I should have come back sooner! I'm sorry..."

She reached for Luna and in a second the two sisters were hugging again. Luna said "Don't fear for me, my little Lina. After you left my dreams went back to Tami, and I knew you'd be safe. I had to stay for mommy and daddy, but they are gone now. I am alone, but as long as you are safe it is good."

"No it isn't!" said Lina vehemently. "No, you have bad memories of this place, and you have no need to stay. Come away Luna, come with me. Please!"

" I wish I could, but I, I can't." said Luna. "I know nothing of the world, and to tell the truth, I am afraid, Lina, I am afraid. Ironic huh? Your big sister, afraid of the world you wander in freely..."

Lina replied "No, you don't need to be afraid, I'll be with you."

Naga looked thoughtful for a minute then asked Lina "What about that man you love?"

Lina looked a bit sad. "He'll have to understand, my sister needs me."

Luna said "No, Lina, you can't do that, not if you are in love. I won't let you."

"You have no choice." said Lina back to Luna.

Naga butted in, quietly. "Yes, there is one, Lina. Listen, I too know the pain of a loved one's death. My mother was murdered in front of me, and I had to kill the assasin in self defence. I understand your sister's loss, maybe in someways a bit better than you do. And I am as she is, and, perhaps more than you with your two minds, I can understand what it is to love a woman. May I make the following suggestion? Take what time you need here of course, to renew your relationship with your sister. Then, well, then, let her come with me. I have decided to go home. Yes Amilia, I am going to return. But first, I want one last, long, glorious walk through this world I know. I want to go out to the far coast again, then down to Mispross Island, then up through Elemikia, and finally, take the long road from the east home to Seirune. I should get there by fall, and I will be as ready as I ever can be then to return home. Let Luna come with me. Meet us in Seirune in the fall, and by then we will all have time to have made our minds up. What do you say?"

Amilia spoke first. "You'll come home? Oh Gracia!" She hugged her sister. "Alright. I'm going to have it out with Zelgadiss, and tell him to his face that I love him. Then, depending on his reaction, I'll have to tell him that I like making love to girls too, but that if he will help, I'll give it up for him, and we shall see where we stand. You'll get there in time for a wedding or to cheer me up after a major breakup, either way I will want you."

Lina also replied. "Yeah, if that's what Luna wants, so she can get her head on straight, I'll agree to it. I need to tell Gourry the same things, that I love him, and want to marry him, but that I have this thing about girls too, and, well, maybe it'll be a double wedding? Hah, hah, well, we will see. But I want to see more of my sister after this walk about. What do you say Luna?"

Luna looked scared, and yet there was a hint of desire. "I, I don't know, I've never been away from home before..."

Lina hugged her sister. "You were an excellent daughter, Luna, and better than me. You did what you had to and looked after mommy and daddy. But they are gone now Luna, you are free. You don't owe Zefielia anything, especially not after Tami, and they need your abilities as a Knight of Ceiphied in the whole world, not just here. You can go anywhere you want. In time, you can come back here to live if you wish, but for your own sake, see the world at least once in your life, my sister. I will go with you if you want me to, you did so much for me, now it is my turn to give back to you. Or if you want, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's true..., Naga is a worthy choice too, once you get used to her. You told me once that my destiny lay in the world, and you were right. Now something tells me that you too have a destiny in the world, it's your turn to spready your wings and soar into life. Don't be afraid Luna, be excited. Go, go..."

Luna was in deep thought for a minute, then finaly said "Yes, yes, YES! It is my turn! I will go. But I will take up Naga's kind offer, you still have your own affairs to settle. Don't worry sister, I will be better than I have been for a long time, and I will see you this fall in Seirune, count on it. Oh, I will be better then, I can feel it. Then we can begin again, to be the family we should have been all along!" She smiled at Lina, and Lina beamed back at her.

Naga gave Luna hug, and the slightly smokey look wasn't lost on Lina or Amilia who cocked an eyebrow at each other. If the two older sisters could get along...

"Well, I take it you two will be off when the money arrives." Amilia said. Naga nodded, still hugging Luna, who seemed happy to be where she was. Amilia turned to Lina and said "I think our adventure is over Lina, where do we go now?"

A voice replied "Home?"


	6. Chapter 6

The women were startled by the voice, it was a man. Lina covered her eyes with her hand and said in a frustrated tone "Again with the sneaking up in the dark..." but it was Amilia's reaction that got her attention. 

"Gyahh!" said the diminuitive princess with a strangled voice. "H-How long have you two been there?" She shook Lina violently, trying to turn her around. Lina looked, and gasped.

Standing in the clearing, holding the bag of money for Naga, was Zelgadiss Greywords, and beside him was Gourry Gabrieve. To say the men were perplexed and puzzled was to put it kindly.

"Oh gods..." Amilia sighed.

"Alright, let's get to the point, what have you heard, how long have you been there?" asked Lina.

"A few minutes..." replied Zelgadiss, his eyes fixed on Amilia with a strange look.

She went to him and said, shyly, "Um, hi..."

Zel looked down and said softly "You love me?"

Amilia suddenly smiled brightly and threw her arms around Zelgadiss. "With all my heart! Didn't you know?"

Zel seemed uncomfortable. "I guess I did, but I never let myself believe. Who loves a chimera?" he replied.

"Me, silly!" said Amilia, hugging him tighter.

Zel was hesitant, but he hugged back. "Um, well then, I never thought I'd have a chance to say this, but, I love you too, Amilia..."

Amilia gave a little squeal of pure joy and beamed up at Zelgadiss. "You have now made me the happiest girl in the world, Mr. Zelgadiss, please let me make you the happiest man!"

She hesitated for a minute then a cloud seemed to settle on her and she went on, "Of course, if you heard me say "I love you" then you know there is an issue..." She looked down, feeling her happiness hung by a very slender thread indeed.

Zel nodded slowly, still hugging Amilia. " I think I can compete with any man who might come your way, but I have no idea how to deal with my rival if it's a woman I'm up against, Amilia, and it frightens me..."

Amilia gulped, not knowing what to do or say.

Meanwhile, Lina had walked over to Gourry. "Um, hi..., did they let you off or something?" she asked, hesitantly.

Gourry replied matter of factly "Nah, we're done, so Phill said we could join you girls at the hotspring. Then he asked us to do this one thing first and give some woman named Gracia, or Naga, some money. I guess it must be for Amilia's sister over there..."

Lina nodded. "Okay, Gourry did you hear what I said earlier? About you?"

"Uh huh." replied Gourry.

Lina waited a second then asked, a bit impatiently "And?"

"And what?" was the reply.

Lina ground her teeth, she wasn't going to bop him, not yet...

She decided to come to the point, ony it seemed suddenly very hard to do. "Um, okay, did you hear the part where I said, uh, er... where I said..." she gulped, and forced it out, "where I said that I love you?" Blushing furiously she lowered her eyes to the ground, trying to understand why it should be so damned hard to tell Gourry, of all people, her feelings.

"Uh huh! I sure did!" said Gourry brightly.

"And...?" said Lina slowly, begining to get a bad feeling about this.

"And?" asked Gourry back, puzzled.

Lina began to deflate. She could feel tears coming, and didn't know what to do. "I just thought... maybe you loved me too." she half whispered.

"Well of course I do." said Gourry as if he were explaining something he had thought was obvious. "I've loved you since that day on the road we first fought the bandits, you remember, back when you were a little girl? Of course, it wasn't right to love a little kid and all, so I've hung around to wait for you to grow up, but do you mean you didn't realise that already? I mean, I always thought the problem was that you weren't ready to have feelings like that, so I kept my mouth shut, lest I scare you off, and just let my actions do the talking. I do hope they were saying "Lina, I love you!" at every opportunity."

Lina looked up, startled. He thought she knew already how he felt! But he hadn't told her! But she had made him think she wasn't ready to hear the words actually said! And, truth to tell, he had been right! "Gourry!" she said slightly paniced. "You're starting to make sense! You're scaring me!"

Gourry scratched his head. "Huh?"

By now, Zelgadiss and Amilia, who knew Gourry and Lina only too well, were starting to laugh. The two older sisters were looking at Gourry and Lina with stunned looks on their faces.

Lina sighed. Then she smiled. "Okay, not the hearts and flowers I was dreaming of, but at least we can talk about it." With that she suddenly lept up and kissed Gourry.

Gourry caught her as she leapt, then, taken by surprise by the kiss, tottered back a step and "oofed" to the ground. He seemed quite stunned for a minute, then said a dreamy "Wow... that was worth the wait..." as he looked at Lina, almost, but not quite, focusing.

For her part, Lina had ridden out the fall safe in Gourry's arms, and now gave a happy shout of "Victory!" as she held up her two fingers in a "V" sign to the world at large. There was some clapping from the onlookers and Lina beamed a big smile to them. Then she got serious.

"Okay Gourry, now that we love each other, I have to know where you stand on me and other women." She blushed furiously at this, but realised it had to be now, if this was something Gourry wouldn't want she needed to know from the start.

Zelgadiss added whistfully "Yeah, I'd like to know what the answer to all this is too."

Gourry slowly got up again, amazingly while still holding Lina. "Mmmm" he said, as if he hadn't heard. "Did I ever tell you I really, really like petite girls Lina?"

Lina was about to say something sharp when Amilia giggled. Lina remembered their conversation about how she and Filia had decided Gourry liked her the way she was but didn't know how to say it. She frowned slightly at Amilia, there's be no living with her now...

Lina softened and snuggled in to Gourry and said "In a roundabout way, yes." She waited a second then gently pressed "But I really need an answer, Gourry." she finally said.

Gourry looked thoughtful. "Well, I don't know. I can't give you whatever it is a girl gives you, so I guess I can't hope to meet that need or whatever it is, but I don't want to lose you to anyone either, and that includes a girl, so, hummm, let me think. Okay, so, the way I see it, the thing to do is this. You must promise to keep the girl time down to what is only fun, not enough to be getting serious. Then, you must only play with someone who doesn't want to steal you away from me. Hmmm, I suppose it would be fair if I knew who it was so I could trust her too."

He pondered a bit, and Lina was amazed to realise there were actually gears whirling away up there. Gourry brightened! "I know! I have it! Lina and Amilia! If they do this girl thing only with each other, well, we know Amilia won't want to lose Zel, and Lina won't want to lose me, so, they can have fun, but neither of them will want to take the other away from her man! Right? So, they'll watch out for each other, and for us guys too, because they want to"

He continued. "And, since Lina and I are wandering for now, we won't be in Seirune everyday. And even when we do settle down, where ever we decide to, one thing's for sure, we aren't going to settle in the palace, so we'd have to come over for visits, again it won't be an everyday thing. So, the deal is that when we do go for a visit, if the girls want to sneak off for an afternoon, or a day, Zel and I can turn a knowing blind eye, and who knows, when our wives come back all refreshed, maybe they will have generously left a little bit for us, he, he. But even if not, they will be so happy, we still can't lose!"

They stared at him. Finally Zel spoke. "Gourry, you're starting to make sense, you're scaring me." "Huh?" said Gourry in reply.

Lina finally looked away from Gourry and over to Amilia. "Huh? Can this be? Are we getting to have our cake and eat it too?"

"Sounds like it, if Zel agrees." replied Amilia. "But then, hey, when you are as perfect as we are, why not?" She burst out laughing. It swept around the circle and soon they were all laughing, the tension of the night was finally over.

Naga then stepped forward and took the money from Zel. She told him to confirm Amilia's good news to their father, that she would be home in the fall. Zel agreed to do so, gladly.

Luna and Lina refused to say good bye, only "Till we meet again." The older sisters walked off. Luna suddenly started crying and looked up to the heavens, her arms outstreached. In an amazingly happy voice ahe shouted "Tami! I'm finally free! Thank you! Thank you for all your love, on both sides of the grave! Please sleep in peace now, I'm finally going on." She laughed through her tears and turned to her sister.

She said to Lina "Before I forget, there is a little chapel in the town of Riverford. You probably passed through the place on your way up here. If you go through it on the way down you might want to know that the priest there doesn't usually ask much in the way of questions of young couples who want to marry, Lina." She looked over to Amilia and went on "I don't know how you feel about it Your Majesty, but if you remember not to tell him you are a Princess..."

Amilia nodded and giggled. "I'll keep it in mind..."

There was a last round of "Farewell" and the older girls dissappeared into the night. As the passed the basket of mushrooms Naga asked Luna if she wanted that. Luna replied "Nah, it's my secret mission that is, to provide mushrooms for the restaurant so they don't have to pay the local collectors. Let them find it there and think the worst, it'll do them good."

Naga responded with her famous laugh. Everyone cringed, except Luna. The very last conversation heard as the two older sisters walked away was Luna enthusiastically saying "Hey, I like that! Will you teach me?"

Lina gasped in horror at the thought, but it was too late now. She looked down, suddenly feeling a stab of fear as she remembered how Naga tried once before to remake the world in her own, um, image. This time, if Luna helped, she might just succeed...

Then she realised there was nothing for it, so she decided to get back to her own life. She looked up and said to Gourry "I will if you will..."

"Will what?" he asked, followed by a heavy "OOOOF!" as Lina elbowed his ribs.

"Get married of course!" she said with an exasperated tone. Obviously, some things weren't about to change...

"Oh that." replied Gourry. "Of course I will. Did you think I'd miss a chance like this?" Lina smiled and hugged him.

Amilia hugged Zel and looked up. "It's tempting..."

"I could fall for it..." he replied.

"It would make sure daddy has no choice." she said.

"It's the risking letting you get away that has me worried. But I think Gourry took care of that!" he laughed back. "Well, it's a day or so to hike to that village, we can talk, and if you still want to when we get there we can be a double wedding with Gourry and Lina!"

"Done!" was the reply.

To no one's surprise, the hot springs turned out to be perfect for a double honeymoon...


End file.
